Siblings and Early Childhood Development: Evidence from a Population-Based Cohort in Preschoolers from Shanghai

Saishuang Wu, Donglan Zhang, Xinyue Li, Jin Zhao, Xiaoning Sun, Lu Shi, Yuping Mao, Yunting Zhang and Fan Jiang
Additional contact information
Saishuang Wu: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, National Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
Donglan Zhang: Division of Health Services Research, Department of Foundations of Medicine, New York University Long Island School of Medicine, New York, NY 11501, USA
Xinyue Li: School of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Jin Zhao: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, National Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
Xiaoning Sun: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, National Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
Lu Shi: Department of Public Health Science, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Yuping Mao: Department of Communication Studies, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Yunting Zhang: Child Health Advocacy Institute, National Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
Fan Jiang: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, National Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: (1) Background: The current study aims to investigate the association between the presence of a sibling and early childhood development (ECD). (2) Methods: Data were obtained from a large-scale population-based cohort in Shanghai. Children were followed from three to six years old. Based on birth order, the sample was divided into four groups: single child, younger child, elder child, and single-elder transfer (transfer from single-child to elder-child). Psychosocial well-being and school readiness were assessed with the total difficulties score from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the overall development score from the early Human Capability Index (eHCI), respectively. A multilevel model was conducted to evaluate the main effect of each sibling group and the group × age interaction effect on psychosocial well-being and school readiness. (3) Results: Across all measures, children in the younger child group presented with lower psychosocial problems (β = −0.96, 95% CI: −1.44, −0.48, p < 0.001) and higher school readiness scores (β = 1.56, 95% CI: 0.61, 2.51, p = 0.001). No significant difference, or marginally significant difference, was found between the elder group and the single-child group. Compared to the single-child group, the single-elder transfer group presented with slower development on both psychosocial well-being (Age × Group: β = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.56, p < 0.001) and school readiness (Age × Group: β = −0.75, 95% CI: −1.10, −0.40, p < 0.001). The sibling-ECD effects did not differ between children from families of low versus high socioeconomic status. (4) Conclusion: The current study suggested the presence of a sibling was not associated with worse development outcomes in general. Rather, children with an elder sibling are more likely to present with better ECD.

Keywords: early childhood development; sibling; psychosocial well-being; school readiness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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